Towel dispensing machines



y 1, 9 J.E.K1E-EL 3,251,

TOWEL DISPENSING MACHINES Filed Aug. 10, 1961 H 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 L i .FIGI

' INVENTOR.

ATTOR EY May 17, 1966 J. E. KIENEL TOWEL DISPENSING MACHINES 5 Sheets-Sheet. 2

Filed Aug. 10, 1961 INVENTOR. JOSEPH. E. K IEN EL "Wd 4 ATTO .5 sheets-sheet 5 Filed Aug. 10. 1961 FIG. 3

INVENTOR.

JOSEPH E. KIEN EL May 1966 J. E. KIENEL 3,251,448

TOWEL DI SPENSING MACHINES Filed Aug. 10, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR.

JOSEPH E. KIENEL ATTQRNEY May 17, 1966 .1. E. KIENEL TOWEL DISPENSING MACHINES Filed Aug. 10, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Q 249 INVENTOR.

\ JOSEPH E. KIENEL 244 flail? A T T O NEY United States Patent 3,251,448 TOWEL DISPENSlNG MACHINES Joseph E. Kienel, Acworth, Ga., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Callaway Mills Company, La Grange, Ga., a corporation of Georgia Filed Aug. 10, 1961, Ser. No. 130,635

. 16 Claims. c1.194-4 This invention relates to a towel dispensing machine and particularly to a machine of that sort for dispensing clean shop towels and the like in exchange for soiled towels manually deposited therein. This application is a continuation-in-part of-my co-pending application Serial No. 22,336, filed April 14, 1960, now Patent No. 3,095,998 issued July 2, 1963.

Fabric towels and the like are used daily in large numbers by various institutions, factories, shops and other places as wiping cloths for machinery and for other purposes. The cost of such towels and the quantities used is a significant amount in the operation of a business and other places where these towels are used. While some of these towels are destroyed from contact with machinery parts and the like, a larger number of towels are lost through disappearance probably because the personnel have taken them from the premises. There are machines in the prior art which were designed for the purpose of supplying a clean towel in exchange for dirty towels deposited in the machine. Some of these machines were constructed in such a manner that they inherently failed to make a proper examination of the nature of the article being deposited before they released a clean towel. In other words, it was possible easily to cheat these machines by inserting pieces of towels, pieces of paper and other items sufficient to fool the input mechanism of the machines. Since the presence of -a machine such as this offers a challenge to certain people who are determined to see if they can cheat the machines, it is important that the input or towel examining portion of the machine operates satisfactorily to examine whatever is inserted in the machine. In these machines and other machines, sometimes the mechanism would jam or otherwise fail to operate, thereby rendering the machine useless for a period of time. Another disadvantage of some of the prior art machines is that they have a tendency to tear or injure the towels. Also, the delivery mechanism of any of the prior art machines is undependable in that sometimes it delivers no towels at all, and at other times it delivers more than one towel when it should deliver only one.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide an improved machine for dispensing clean towels in exchange for soiled towels manually deposited in the machine.

A particular advantage of the present machine resides in the measuring and inspection apparatus of the receiving section thereof, whereby a towel manually deposited therein must pass certain minimum requirements with respect to length and bulk or otherwise the machine, while capable of accepting this reject, will not operate to provide .a clean towel.

Another object of this invention resides in the particular arrangement of the delivery mechanism of the machine whereby positive contact with the top towel in the stack is maintained at all times and positive delivery of only one towel is substantially assured upon each operation.

A further object of this invention is to provide a towel dispensing apparatus of the sort presented which will operate only upon the depositing of soiled towels of certain minimum dimensions and'will refuse to dispense a clean towel when such a reject is deposited in the machine.

A further object of this invention is to provide a towel 3,251,448 Patented May 17, 1966 dispensing machine which is easily and readily loaded with clean towels.

Still another object of this invention resides in the receiving portion thereof wherein there are three inspections made simultaneously to inspect both length and bulk of the towel, and whereby no clean towel will be furnished unless the soiled towel deposited therein passes this inspection.

Another advantage of the present invention resides in the towel delivery mechanism wherein a delivery device rests on top of a stack of clean towels and wherein the stack of clean towels is counterweighted to compensate for the depletion thereof until the last towels are removed.

Another object of this invention resides in the towel receiving mechanism in the machine wherein once a soiled towel is manually deposited in the receiving mechanism, it must continue on through the machine beyond the control of the person depositing the towel in the machine, or otherwise no clean towel will be supplied. This prevents a common type of cheating whereby a string is attached to a towel and the towel is allowed to pass a certain point in the machine to release a clean towel and then the string is pulled to jerk the towel back to be used again.

Still another object of this invention resides in the operation of the machine whereby it ceases operation automatically upon becoming empty and indicates its empty condition by a visible light so that the machine can be re-loaded.

An additional object of this invention resides in 'the particular mechanism employed in the receiving and inspection portions wherein three sensing devices are connected with individual members having matchable portions thereon which must come into alignment before the towel passes the inspection as to length and bulk by simultaneous sensing.

A further object of this invention resides in the construction of the input or receiving mechanism and inspection device wherein the towel is positively placed to be received in the machine and wherein there is a positive mechanical action to release and strip the towel from the receiver.

Another object of the present invention resides in the delivery portion of the machine wherein a positive mechanical action is employed to engage a clean towel to deliver same from the machine and whereby a positive stripping action is employed to remove the towel from the pick-up device and combine with a positive actuation and release of the towel.

Other and further objects and advantages of the inven-. tion will become apparent from the following specification and description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a machine constructed in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the machine shown in FIG. 1 with the front door removed and with portions of the cabinet broken away exposing the internal details.

FIG. 3 is a front elevation view of the machine shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the inspection mechanism spartan FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along lines 88 in FIG. 3 and showing part of the cheat proof mechanism.

FIG. 9 is a partial perspective view of the shifting lever system of the inspection mechanism shown in FIG. 4.

- :FIG. 10 is an exploded view of the towel input mechanism of the receiving section.

'::FIG. 11 is an exploded view of the towel pick-up and delivery mechanism of the delivery section.

FIG. 12 is a schematic circuit diagram of the electrical circuit employed in the operation of the machine shown in FIG. 1.

Referring initially to the machine shown in FIG. 1 and then to the other figures of the drawing for a more detailed description of the various components and parts, the machine 10 is housed in a normally closed cabinet member 12 which has a hinged front door 14 thereon providing complete access to the interior of the machine. When the front door 12 is opened, the machine is exposed internally much in the manner shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, and espectially in FIG. 3. On the front door 14 there is a towel receiving and manual input station covered by a plate 16 having a slot 1.8 therein covered by a closure or cup or cap member 20. The towel is manually inserted on a sharp pointed hook member 22 which normally protrudes through the slot 18 of the front plate 16. A manual start button 24 is mounted for operation adjacent the hook member 22. The clean towel is dropped from the machine and delivered through a' bottom opening in an elongated slot member 26 in a manner to be described hereinafter.

The towel vending machine 19 for purposes of discussion may be considered to have two sections therein which are separated essentially within the machines by means of a bulkhead or metal plate wall 23. These two sections are the receiving or manual towel input and conveyor mechanism designated generally by the reference numeral 50 and the delivery or clean towel conveyor and output mechanism designated generally by the reference numeral 200. According to the system of numbering in this patent disclosure, the numbers between 50 and 198 apply to the receiving or towel input or conveyor mechanism and related or associated parts and mechanisms while the reference numerals 200 refer mostly to the mechanism associated with the clean towel delivery apparatus. There are instances, of course, where reference numerals will fall in between these basic categories. As will hereinafter develop more fully, the machine operates on the general arangement that a person wishing to obtain a clean towel approaches the machine cabinet of FIG. 1 with a dirty towel and manually hangs same by piercing the fabric of the towel on hook 22. This person then manually pushes switch 24 to start the machine in operation. Once this has been accomplished, the towel is for all practical purposes completely beyond the control of the person inserting the dirty towel in the machine and now becomes a captive of the input conveyor and inspection mechanism 50. The mechanism 50 takes a towel into the machine and senses the length of the towel preferably across the diagonal measurement thereof, which it has been found is a more accurate measurement, and simultaneously at one point therewith senses the bulk of the towel while inspecting the length thereof. If the towel passes the inspection test, then the machine automatically indicates this by electrical operation to the output mechanism designed generally at 200, at which time this mechanism operates to remove a clean towel from the stack of towels contained in the machine and to deliver and drop same from the front opening 26. Various schemes and devices have been invented throughout the years for cheating towel vending machines, and it is believed that the present machine anticipates all of those presently known and makes provision for these devices for cheating by suitable mechanism within the machine.

For example, in the input and receiving mechanism 50, the towel must pass completely through the machine before a clean towel is delivered. This prevents one type of cheating whereby a string or other item is attached to the towel and, once the towel has passed a certain point, the towel is pulled back out and again re-inserted to receive another clean towel for no dirty towels. Furthermore, the inspection mechanism is so near foolproof with respect to a linear dimension as well as a bulk factor that the towel must essentially be actually a fabric towel of a certain thickness when stretched or otherwise the present machine will not consider what has passed through as an adequate justification for release of a clean towel. These various features and modes of operation will become more apparent upon reading the following specific information beginning first with a detailed description of the receiving and inspection conveyor mechanism Si} and then a detailed description of the delivery mechanism 2% followed by a completion of all of the electrical circuitry and remaining portions of the machines summarized both as to content and operation.

Receiving and inspection conveyor mechanism 50 The receiving and inspection conveyor mechanism 50 comprises essentially two cooperating mechanisms-the towel input and conveyor mechanism designated generally at 52 (which has the sharp pointed member 22 as a part thereof) and the towel inspection device designated generally by the reference numeral 54 and through which the towel is caused to pass upon the operation of the delivery conveyor mechanism 52. Conveyor mechanism 52 comprises a swinging and rotational arc member 56 constructed from bent metal bar or the like and rigidly mounted on an elongated cylindrical housing 58 which is rotatably supported on an elongated non-rotatable shaft 60, the shaft 60 being carried by a metal framework 62 which is rigidly bolted or otherwise fastened inside of the left-hand towel input compartment of cabinet 12-. Mounted on the bulkhead 28 next to and in association with the frame 62 is a power drive arrangement 64 comprising a combined electric motor and transmission unit 66 driving a drive sprocket member 68 which in turn through a drive chain 70 drives a lower drive sprocket 72 mounted on shaft 69 and pinned with housing 58 to drive and rotate segment 56 one complete revolution each time the transmission power arrangement 64 is operated. Sprocket member 72 has a switch contact lobe 74 mounted thereon to contact the switch member 76 which is actuated by the start button 24 through a push rod 78 to start motor transmission unit 64. Lobe 74 contacts switch 76 to interrupt the motor drive 64 after one revolution is completed. Switch 76 is a latch type push-pull switch.

The sharp pointed member 22 is part of a retractable rod member 8% retractably mounted in segment 56 to be actuated by a bent rod member 82 mounted on a tab 84 on segment 56 and riding in contact with a cam member 86 mounted on shaft 60. Rod is normally extended in segment 56 to receive a dirty towel thereon and retains the towel in extended position until the cam operating rod member 82 reaches the notched or cut-out portion 88 in cam 86, at which time the rod member 82 drops and retracts the rod 80 which is spring biased in a normally retracted position by means of a coil spring 90 attached between the rod 8i and a fixed point. The retraction of rod 80 in segment 56 is a positive operation which assures that the sharp'pointed member 22 will be pulled positively from the dirty towel as it is fed to its point of drop into the dirty towel compartment. In FIG. 3 there is shown a stack of dirty towels 92 piled in the dirty towel compartment beneath the input segment and conveyor member 56.

Located immediately above and adapted to cooperate with and to operate as a part of the inspection conveyor mechanism 52 is the inspection device shown in the several FIGURES 4, 5 and 9 in particular, comprising a pair of spaced plates 94, 96 mounted above the shaft 60 and forming together an input passageway or channel or track through which the towel passes as it is conveyed into the machine by the segment 56. The-relationship and distance and size of the plates 94, 96 with respect to the conveyor input member 52 is such that a conventional shop towel will pass in a pre-determined pattern as it is fed into the machine. Mounted inside of the two plate members 94 and adapted to be contacted by the passage of the towel are three separate sensing members or feelers 98, 100, 102 mounted along the arcuate path of the travel of the towel and of such length and arrangement as to be contacted by a normal, conventional shop towel as it travels in its arcuate path. The two members 98, 102 are spaced along the path of the length of travel of the towel and are length sensing members while the sensing member 100 is located a distance above the two members 98, 102, and is a bulk sensing member which is adapted to sense and to be activated simultaneously with one point of the measurement of the length between the two members 98, 102. Mounted on the exterior of plate 94 is the shifting inspection apparatus which forms a part of the sensing arrangement 98, 100, 102, and comprises individual and independent shifting links 104, 106, 108, respectively, connected with a shaft operating member 110, 112, 114 of a respective sensing member 98, 100, 102. Each of the link members 104, 106, 108, has a notch formed therein and the links are mounted for coacting relationship to shift on respective support links 116, 118, 120 mounted on plate 94, so as to bring the notches into matching relationship at one simultaneous position of links 104, 106, 108 when the sensing devices 98, 100, 102 have been actuated to move the respective links 104, 106, 108 in response to contact by a towel moving through the plates 94, 96 during its conveyance by the segment 56.

A switch member 120 mounted on plate 94, immediately above the shifting links 104, 106, 108, has a switch contact 122 which is normally held in an upward position by means of a pivoted link 124 resting on top of all of the shifting members 104, 106, 108, and being adapted in one position when all of the notches match to have a V-shape portion thereof drop into the notches thereby permitting the switch contact member 122 to move. This occurs only when there is simultaneous reading of a correct towel when it correctly assumes the proper length between sensing members 98 and 102, and at the same time presents sufficient bulk along its intermediate portions to simultaneously contact and move the sensing member 112.

Each of the respective link members 116, 118, 119, is spring biased :by a respective coil spring 126, 128, to remain in initial position with the sensing devices 98, 102, 100, in normal condition prior to being actuated by a towel.

According to the foregoing arrangement, when a towel properly passes the inspection as to length and bulk, it simultaneously actuates the shifting links 104, 106, 108 to place the notches in alignment whereby the member 124 drops to permit switch 120 to be actuated. On the other hand, if the towel fails for some reason, such as insuflicient length or inadequate bulk, to activate simultaneously the sensing members 98, 100, 102, the towel will be conveyed on through the machine by the segment member 56 but has failed to cause the proper operation to actuate the switch 120 which fails to further operate the machine and prevents the dispensing of a clean towel from the dispensing mechanism. Thus, if someone has deliberately inserted a short towel or a segment of a towel or some other substance, such as heavy paper, the inspection will be incomplete and the clean towel will not be released.

' The channel or open passageway formed by plates 94, 96 is such'in conjunction with the fast travel of the towel by the conveyor segment 56 and the contact with sensing members 98, 100, 102, that the towel is pulled into alignment and is stretched through the channel so as to give a good inspection to it as it passes. I

Levers 104, 106, 108 are adapted to coeact in reciprocation in a very sudden action as the towel passes fairly rapidly under and against the sensing devices 98,

and 102. A bracket member encases the three links 104, 106, 108, and holds them in alignment for reciprocation. Respective stop pins 132, 134 and 136 mounted with each of the respective sensing devices 98, 100, 102

. engage stop lugs or tabs 138 formed on plate 94 at stragating or pulling the towel to stretch it to some extent which causes the towel to assume a bulk along the intermediate portion thereof which contacts the upper sensing device 100. Sensing device 100 therefore may be considered a bulk sensing device which determines Whether or not the item inserted in the machine has sufficient bulk and body to correspond with what is foundin the normal elongated towel.

As a further part of the cheat proof mechanism of this machine in the receiving portion, there is provided in front of the entrance to the channels 94, 96, a towel clearance sensing member 142 constructed from bent bar stock or the like and being pivotally mounted at 144 on the permanent machine frame and presenting a curved portion which is gradually contacted by the towel as it is fed or conveyed into the confined area between plates 94, 96. Mounted beneath member 142 is a switch member 146 having a switch contact thereon which is normally weighted or contacted in position by the arm 142 in normal or non-towel receiving condition but which switch is immediately de-activated and is thereby actuated upon contact with the towel as the towel is delivered into the machine by conveyor 56. As will appear more fully hereinafter, switch 146 is in the towel output or delivery circuit and prevents operation of the towel delivery mechanism until the towel has cleared the inspection apparatus. This provision prevents a well known form of cheating wherein the towel is not released but is held by the tip in the hand until it has cleared the sensing mechanism or else has a tail or wire or similar device tied thereto so that the towel can be pulled back once it has tripped the sensing device. In the first place, the confined path and pattern of the towel between'plates 94, 96 beneath sensing devices 98, 102 and 100 makes it extremely difiicult to pull the towel in a backward direction once it is started into the machine;.and, in the second place, the towel must clear beyond the lever or arm 142 before the delivery circuit is capable of operation. Accordingly, users of the machine will learn immediately that the foregoing type of cheating is not apt to succeed.

After the towel has cleared, the machine and the delivery mechanism 52 has operated a complete revolution and the conveyor member 56 is on its Way to return to initial position, the lobe or contact member 74 on sprocket 72 hits the latch operator of switch 76 thereby de-energizing or stopping the input and inspection mechanism. If the towel has satisfactorily passed inspection and the levers 104, 106, 108 have rapidly operated to permit the switch contact 122 to operate switch 120, then the circuit is cleared for operation of the delivery mechanism now to be discussed.

Clean towel delivery mechanism 200 Clean towel delivery mechanism 200 is contained within the compartment of the machine to the right-hand side of bulkhead or wall 28 as seen in FIG. 2 and other fig ures of the drawing. When the machine is loaded with clean towels to capacity a stack of clean towels 202 is placed upon a platform member 204 attached to movable cylindrical member 206 slideably mounted on support rods 208 vertically attached in the delivery compartment on the machine frame. Heavy coil springs 210 are attached to the cylinders 206 and to the upper part of the machine frame thereby being biased or sprung from the load of the stack 202 and tending to pull the towel stack 292 upwardly with the platform 204. The towel delivery mechanism is supported on a truss or frame 212 comprising vertical members 214 slideably mounted on machine frame 216 and having a transverse member 218 to which is attached a cable 220 passed through a pair of pulleys 222 with a counterweight 2 24 attached to cable 220. Weight 224 is selected to be slightly overcome by the weight of the delivery mechanism which tends to cover the entire delivery mechanism 290 downwardly and vertically of the mechanism and frame 212 because of the Weight as opposed to the constant weight of the counterweight 224. v

A clean towel delivery drum 228, constructed from stainless steel or the like, is mounted for rotation on a transverse shaft 230 which normally is supported on the opposite sides of the frame members 214. A sprocket member 232 movably mounted on shaft 230 is attached to drum 228-and is driven by a chain 234 from a drive sprocket 236 powered from a power transmission unit 238 mounted on the inside wall 28 of cabinet 12. Shaft 23% is held from rotation and drum 228 rotates thereon.

The only force tending to lift the stack of clean towels 202 is that supplied by springs 210. The counterweight 224 is not connected to the stack of clean towels; it is attached to the towel delivery mechanism comprising the frame 212 and other parts to be described that rests upon the stack of clean towels 202. The counterweight 224 balances only a portion of the weight of the towel delivery mechanism, so that the towel delivery mechanism still has a tendency to move downwardly under the influence of gravity. The amount of force tending to move the towel delivery mechanism downwardly is constant or substantially constant at all times. Moreover, this force is opposed at all times by an upward and opposite force applied by the springs 210 through the stack of clean towels 202. The result of this arrangement is substantially to provide a constant pressure between the towel delivery mechanism on frame 212, and the uppermost towel in the stack at all times from a full stack to an empty stack, while at the same time limiting the range of vertical movements of the towel delivery mechanism on frame 216. With the present arrangement, the towel delivery mechanism on frame 216 is movably supported by counterweight 224 but remains substantially in the same position and most of all does not move vertically downwardly over a substantial distance corresponding to the height of the stack of clean towels 202 as the towels are completed from the stack. Thus, the relationship between the weight of the towel delivery mechanism on frame 216 resting on the uppermost towel in stack 202 remains substantially constant throughout the entire operation of the stack of towels from a full stack to an empty stack and is not changed as the stack is depleted. One advantage of this which is obvious is the fact that the towel is'picked up from a height near the top of the machine and is dropped towards the front of the machine, thereby giving the towel plenty of vertical drop as it is dispensed from the machine.

A retractable towel pick-up and release mechanism 240 mounted on drum 228 comprises a pick-up shoe 242 hingedly mounted on drum 228 and having a plurality of protruding needle members 244 protruding from the lower surface thereof with beveled or inclinedpoints thereon adapted to engage the fabric of a towel. Shoe 242 is retractably mounted on a rod 244 having the inner end thereof spring biased by a spring 246 for engagement with a cam member 248 having a circular cam surface thereon except for a fiat portion which contacts rod 244 to retract the rod 244 at the proper instant thereby positively disengaging the needle members 244 from the fabric of the towel so as to assure a positive release thereof when it reaches the proper frontal position.

A pair of stripper rods or arms 249 with downwardly depending front portions are each mounted on shaft 230 on opposite sides of the drum member 228 and are supported for stationary position by means of individual bracket members 250 attached to a small lug wheel 252 which is attached by a set-screw to the shaft 230 being supported thereon in such position to maintain arms 249 in a constant forwardly extending position with the frontal portions extending downwardly to strip the towel from the drum 228 as the towel reaches the front of the machine.

A delivery termination switch 254 is located on drum 228 to be contacted by a switch contact member 256 strategically located on the drum to contact the switch at the release of the towel from the front of the machine thereby stopping the towel dispensing mechanism and drum 228 at the proper initial position to contact the next towel in the stack to repeat the pick-up operation in response to another dirty towel being deposited in the machine.

In the operation of the delivery or dispensing portion of the machine after the towel has cleared the inspection apparatus and has properly tripped the sensing devices 109, 102, causing the switch to be actuated and when the towel has properly cleared the input mechanism and the lever or arm 142 has returned to its normal position thereby returning the switch 146 to its proper condition, the circuit (which will be described next) for operating the dispensing drum 228 is energized to cause the transmission unit 238 to drive sprocket 232 thereby rotating drum 228 one revolution. The needles on the shoe 244 are in engagement with the top towel in the stack 202 and dig into the fabric thereof sufiiciently to engage and remove the towel and only one towel from the top of stack 102, and to carry same in the direction of the arrow shown in FIG. 2 around the back of the machine and up and over the top whereupon the towel then comes into contact with the stripper arms 248, which strips the towel from the needles on shoe 244 and, at the same time, the cam member 233 actuates the rod 244 to withdraw the needles on shoe 244 from the fabric of the towel thereby assuring a positive release of the towel into the front of the machine and out of the opening 26.

Drum 228 continues for a distance sufiicient to return shoe 244 to the top of the top towel stack 202, at which time switch 254 is actuated by the switch contact memher 256 thereby terminating the power to drive unit 238 and re-setting the machine for a new operation.

The machine continues to operate in succession in response to proper dirty towels inserted through the slot 18 on needle member 22 until the stack 202 becomes depleted, at which time a switch member 264 on the upper part of the machine is contacted by the stack bottom to operate the empty switch indicator 266 on the front of the machine and to open the circuit as will appear in the circuit diagram in FIG. 12 to prevent any further operation of the machine and to prevent the start button 24 from operating thereby preventing any possible loss of a towel when the machine is empty.

It is worthwhile to note that the counterweight arrangement of the deliverymechanism through the weight 234 places the drum and pick-up resting on top of the stack 202 while the spring support arrangement of the springs 210 and the rods 208 having collars 2%6 thereon pulls the stack upwardly against the bottom of the pick-up shoe 244 thereby assuring the positive contact at all times regardless of whether there is a full stack or an empty stack of towels.

Circuit arrangement The manual operation of door switch 24 closes switch 76 and latches same into a latched position until the lobe 74 strikes it again at the termination of the towel input. This closes a circuit from the power line 300 through motor 64 which is through the line 302 and the junction bar 306 through closed switch 264, and through switch 76 back through line 304 and junction bar 308 to the other side of the line at input power 300. With the motor drive unit 64 operating, the dirty towel which has been hung on needle 22 is pulled into the machine and goes through the inspection process described in detail previously. Assuming that the towel properly passes inspection, the lever 124 drops into place thereby operating switch 120 which closes a control circuit through a control latching relay 310 through line 312 and clean towel power unit 238 through line 302, through junction bar 306 and through circuit line 314 through the relay 310. Upon entry of the towel into the machine, lever 142 is lifted to open switch 146 and once the towel is irretrievably committed, the lever drops back into initial position prior to the time that the towel completes inspection at lever 124. The towel has then passed inspection which causes the power transmission unit 238 to operate the drum 228, thereby dispensing a clean towel in the manner described in detail before. After the drum 228 has operated one complete revolution and a clean towel has been dropped from opening 26, the cut-ofi switch 254 is contacted by the contact member 255 thereby energizing the coil to activate play arm 318 which unlatches relay 319 thereby a towel vending machine so as to examine said towel prior to releasing a clean towel from the same machine, comprising: conveying said towel into a confined entrance so as to substantially elongate said towel as it is fed into themachine, then directing said towel in a confined passageway to maintain said towel in substantially elongated condition as it is passed through the inspection operation, and further while said towel is elongated in said passageway simultaneously therewith determining the bulk of said towel at an intermediate portion thereof passed through the inspection operation, and further while breaking the circuit through motor transmission 238,

terminating the power to drum 228 and stopping same in initial position. When relay 319 is initially actuated and latched in place, a contact member 318 closes a circuit through a counter 320 through a line 322 through bar 308, thereby making a cumulative count each time a clean towel is dispensed from the machine. Counter 320 is a conventional electric impulse counter which cumulatively adds each impulse with a visible numerical indication on the face thereof and per se forms no part of this invention. It does enable the machine owners to keep an accurate account of the number of times the machine has dispensed a clean towel which can be checked against the number of towels actually dispensed from the stack according to inventory and which-also may be checked against the number of dirty towels removed from the dirty towel compartment.

It is obvious from the foregoing discussion and description and the operation of the circuit diagram in FIG. 12 that if the towel fails to actuate the inspection switch 120, the relay 310 will not function and therefore the clean towel delivery unit 238 is not operated and it is impossible to dispense a clean towel. Furthermore, it is apparent that, if the switch contact member 142 has failed to return to its normal position, the switch 146 will remain open and, in this event, no actuation of relay 310 is accomplished and therefore clean towel delivery unit 238 is not operated. Further, when the stack is empty, the empty switch 264 opens thereby breaking the circuit to the dirty towel input drive unit 64 preventing any further operation of the machine. At the same time this occurs through circuit line 324, the empty light 266 is energized.

While I have shown and described a particular embodiment of my invention together with suggested advantages in operation thereof, this is by way of illustration only and constitutes only one workable form of my invention since there are various other alterations, changes, eliminations, deviations, substitutions and arrangements which may be made in the embodiment shown and described without departing from the scope of my response to all of said arms concurr ntly occupying desaid towel is elongated in said passageway simultaneously therewith determining the bulk of said towel at an intermediate portion thereof. while said towel is in the elongated inspection condition.

3. In apparatus for dispensing clean towels in exchange for soiled towels deposited therein: a cabinet having a soiled towel receiving opening and soiled towelstorage compartment therein; a conveyor to convey towels from said receiving opening into said cabinet; a conveyor motor for driving said conveyor; means for energizing said conveyor motor to convey a towel from said soiled towel receiving, opening to said storage compartment; a pair of switch controlling arms pivotally mounted in longitudinally spaced relationship along said conveyor to be deflected by a towel moving along the conveyor; at least one other switch controlling arm across said path of said towel and spaced from said other arms; switch actuating means actuated in response to all of said arms concurrently occupying deflected positions; and an electric circuit, said circuit including said switch means to thereby energize said circuit when a towel of sufficient dimensions longitudinally of said conveyor to hold said arms concurrently in deflected positions is conveyed along said conveyor.

4. 11h apparatus for dispensing clean towels in exchange for soiled towels deposited therein: a cabinet having a soiled towel receiving opening and soiled towel storage compartment therein; a conveyor toconvey towels from said receiving opening into said cabinet; a conveyor motor for driving said conveyor; means for energizing said conveyor motor to convey a towel from said soiled towel receiving opening to saidstorage compartment; a pair of switch controlling arms pivotally mounted in longi- 'tudinally spaced relationship along said conveyor to be deflected by a towel moving along the conveyor; at least one other switch controlling arms movably mounted across the path of said towel; switch means actuated in fiected positions; and an electric circuit controlling a relay, said circuit including said switch means to thereby energize said circuit when a towel of sufficient dimensions longitudinally of said conveyor and of sufficient bulk across said space between said arms to hold said arms concurrently in deflected positions is conveyed along said conveyor.

5. In apparatus for dispensing clean towels in exchange for soiled towels deposited therein: a cabinet having a soiled towel receiving opening and a soiled towel storage compartment therein; a dirty towel input transfer member mounted for rotational movement, drive means for said transfer member and including electrically driven power means, means on said transfer member to retain a towel manually placed therein as said towel is deliv ered into said machine, a confined, longitudinal space formed on said machine in spaced relationship with said transfer member and along a path of a towel transferred thereby, a pair of first and second sensing devices mounted in longitudinal relationship along the path of travel of said towel and adapted to sense the presence of said towel at a point spaced along the path of said towel travel from said first sensing means whereby the length of said towel may be determined, and at least one other sensing device mounted across the path oli travel of said towel to sense the bulk of said towel at the same time the length of said towel is determined, a shifting link operaed by each of said sensing devices, said shifting links having notches therein adapted to align in one position thereof, a switch member associated with said shifting links and adapted to be actuated in one position upon the proper alignment of said shitting links which occurs when said sensing devices sense the proper length and bulk of said towel, said towel being manually placed on said transfer member and said transfer member conveying said towel through said sensing apparatus to sense the length and bulk of said towel, said switch being operated to dispense a clean towel only if said dirty towel has passed inspection.

6. In apparatus for dispensing clean towels in exchange for soiled towels deposited therein: a cabinet having a soiled towel receiving opening and a soiled towel storage compartment therein; a towel input transfer member mounted for movement with said shaft, drive means for said transfer member and including electrically driven power means, a retractable towel retaining member on said transfer member, said towel retaining member having a sharp point thereon protruding from said machine in one position thereof to have a towel inserted thereon, a cam member mounted for movement with said transfer member, said cam member being adapted to operate said retractable towel retaining member to retract same after said soiled towel has been deposited in said machine, a confined space formed on said machine in spaced relationship with said transfer member and along a path of a towel transferred thereby, a pair of first and second sensing devices mounted in longitudinal relationship along the path of travel of said towel and adapted to sense the presence of said towel at a point along the path of said towel travel whereby the length of said towel may be determined, and at least one other sensing device mounted across the path of travel of said towel to be contacted by and to sense the bulk of said towel at the same time the length of said towel is determined.

7. In a method of actuating a towel dispensing machine, the steps of moving an article along a prescribed path, simultaneously contacting said article at a plurality of spaced intervals along the length of said article for ascertaining the thickness of said article at said spaced intervals, comparing the ascertained thicknesses of said article at each of said intervals and actuating said machine only when the ascertained thicknesses of said article at each of said intervals falls within prescribed limits. 8. In an apparatus for dispensing clean towels in exchange for soiled towels deposited therein of the type having a normally closed cabinet provided with a soiled towel storage compartment therein and a movable towel conveyor member mounted on said cabinet, the combination with said movable conveyor member of a retractable member mounted on said conveyor member, said retractable member having a sharp point adapted to protrude from said cabinet in one position of said conveyor member for receiving a towel manually placed thereon, and means operably connected to said retractable member for retracting said point at another position of said conveyor member.

9. The structure defined in claim 8 wherein said last mentioned means includes a cam and follower means traveling with said conveyor member and connected to said retractable member and engaging said cam, said cam being so constructed and arranged that said follower means retracts said retractable member as said conveyor reaches a towel drop position.

10. In an apparatus for dispensing clean towels from a closed cabinet in exchange for soiled towels, a towel input conveyor member rotatable in only one given direction through an arc of 360-degrees upon each cycle of the machine, impaling means for impaling a towel on said conveyor member during a first portion of said cycle, means for moving said impaling means relative to said conveyor for releasing said towel from said impaling means during a later portion of said cycle for conveying said towel along a prescribed arcuate path and for thereafter releasing said towel into said closed cabinet, and a plurality of arcuately spaced inspection means along said arcuate path for detecting the presence of increments of said towel on said conveyor member.

11. In an apparatus of the type having a closed cabinet provided with a soiled towel entrance opening, a soiled towel storage compartment, means for dispensing a clean towel in response to the actuation of a switch, and a soiled towel conveyor for conveying a soiled towel along a prescribed path of travel from said entrance to deposit the same in said compartment, the combination therewith wherein said conveyor moves said soiled towel in an arcuate path, impaling means on said conveyor for impaling a portion of said soiled towel, means for positioning said impaling means in a protracted position in one position of said conveyor for receiving said towel and in a retracted position in another position of said conveyor for releasing said towel, and means for actuating said switch disposed along said path of travel.

12. In an apparatus of the type having a closed cabinet provided with a soiled towel entrance opening, a soiled towel storage compartment, means for dispensing a clean towel in response to the actuation of a switch, and a soiled towel conveyor for conveying a soiled towel along a prescribed path of travel from said entrance to deposit the same in said compartment, the combination therewith of towel engaging means movable between two positions for cooperating with the said conveyor in one position thereof to hold a towel on said conveyor and for releasing said towel when said towel engaging means is moved to its other position, means responsive to the position of said conveyor for actuating said towel engaging means, an inspection device disposed adjacent said path of travel and being actuatable in varying amounts dictated by the bulk of said soiled towel and control means responsive to actuation of said inspection device for permitting actuation of said switch only when said inspection device has detected a towel of a prescribed bulk.

13. In an apparatus of the type having a closed cabinet provided with a soiled towel entrance opening, a soiled towel storage compartment, means for dispensing a clean towel in response to the actuation of a switch, and a soiled towel conveyor for conveying a soiled towel along a prescribed path of travel from said entrance to deposit the same in said compartment, the combination therewith of means for actuating said switch, said means for actuating said switch including a plurality of inspection devices disposed in spaced relationship along said path of travel and being respectively actuatable between extreme positions and in varying amounts dictated by the bulk of increments of said soiled towel respective adjacent to said inspection devices and control arms respectively connected to said inspection devices for movement in varying amounts in response to the amount of actuation of their respective inspection devices, said control arms being provided respectively with control means for actuating said switch only when all of said control arms are in prescribed intermediate positions.

14. In an apparatus of the type having a closed cabinet provided with a soiled towel entrance opening, a soiled towel storage compartment, means for dispensing a clean towel in response to the actuation of a switch, and a soiled towel conveyor for conveying a soiled towel along a prescribed path of travel from said entrance to deposit of means for actuating said switch, said means for actuating said switch including a plurality of inspection devices disposed in spaced relationship along said path of travel and being respectively actuatable in varying amounts dictated by the bulk of increments of said soiled towel respective adjacent to said inspection devices, control arms respectively connected to said inspection devices for movement in varying amounts in response to the amount of actuation of their respective inspection device-s, said control arms being provided respectively with apertures alignable with each other When said control arms have been moved by prescribed amounts, and a switch arm biased for movement into said apertures when all of said apertures are aligned, said switch arm being connected to said switchfor actuating said switch when said switch arm is received in all of said apertures.

15. In an apparatus of the type having a closed cabinet provided with a soiled towel entrance opening, a soiled towel storage compartment, means for dispensing a clean towel in response to the actuation of a switch, and a soiled towel conveyor for conveying a soiled towel along a prescribed path of travel from said entrance to deposit the same in said compartment, the combination therewith of means for actuating said switch, said means for actuating said switch including a plurality of inspection devices disposed in spaced relationship along said path of travel and being respectively actuatable in varying amounts dictated by the bulk of increments of said soiledtowel respective adjacent to said inspection devices, control arms respectively connected to said inspection devices for movement in varying amounts in response to the amount of actuation of their respective inspection devices, said control arms being provided respectively with control means for actuating said switch only when all of said control arms are in prescribed positions and sensing means for sensing when a towel has been discharged from said conveyor.

16. In an apparatus of the type having a closed cabinet provided with a soiled towel entrance opening, a soiled towel storage compartment, means for dispensing a clean towel in response to the actuation of a switch, and a soiled towel conveyor for conveying a soiled towel along a prescribed path of travel from said entrance to deposit the same in said compartment, the combination therewith of means for actuating said switch, said means for actuating said switch including a plurality of inspection devices disposed in spaced relationship along said path of travel and being respectively actuatable in varying amounts dictated by the bulk of increments of said soiled towel respective adjacent to said inspection devices and control arms respectively connected to said inspection devices and disposed parallel to each other for movement in varying amounts in the same directions in response to the amount of actuation of their respective inspection devices, said control arms being provided respectively with notches onedges thereof disposedv in essentially the same plane, and a switch arm connected to said switch and riding upon all of said edges, said switch arm being biased toward said notches and having a portion for being deflected into said notches when the notches of all of said control arms are aligned with each other and with said portion of said switch arm, said portion of said switch arm and said notches being so shaped that upon movement of any one of said control arms from its aligned position, it will urge said portion of said switch arm out of said notches.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,285,187 11/1918 Hotaling 221-213 2,356,660 8/1944 De-uel. 2,503,720 4/ 1950 Gieseke. 2,572,121 10/1951 Dosberg 194-4 2,653,693 9/1953 Dosberg 194-4 2,676,298 4/ 1954 F-rommer. 2,713,931 7/1955 Russell 194-4 2,794,258 6/1957 D-anielsson. 2,819,817 1/1958 MacKenzie 221-213 2,826,817 3/1958 Allen. 2,887,204 5/ 1959 Giuliano 194-4 2,901,145 8/1959 Black 194-4 2,926,814 3/1960 Utiger 221-213 2,932,089 4/ 1960 Dexter. 2,959,264 11/1960 Janson 194-4 2,960,377 1'1/1960 Simjian -1 194-4 X 3,107,770 10/ 1963 Short 194-4 SAMUEL F. COLEMAN, Primary Examiner.

LAVERNE D. GEIGER, Examiner.

A. N. KNOWLES, H. c. HonNsBY,

. Assistant Examiners. 

3. IN APPARATUS FOR DISPENSING CLEAN TOWELS IN EXCHANGE FOR SOILED TOWELS DEPOSITED THEREIN: A CABINET HAVING A SOILED TOWEL RECEIVING OPENING AND SOILED TOWEL STORAGE COMPARTMENT THEREIN; A CONVEYOR TO CONVEY TOWELS FROM SAID RECEIVING OPENING INTO SAID CABINET; A CONVEY TOWELS FROM FOR DRIVING SAID CONVEYOR; MEANS FOR ENERGIZING SAID CONVEYOR MOTOR TO CONVEY A TOWEL FROM SAID SOILED TOWEL RECEIVING OPENING TO SAID STORAGE COMPARTMENT; A PAIR OF SWITCH CONTROLLING ARMS PIVOTALLY MOUNTED IN LONGITUDINALLY SPACED RELATIONSHIP ALONG SAID CONVEYOR TO BE DEFLECTED BY A TOWEL MOVING ALONG THE CONVEYOR; AT LEAST ONE OTHER SWITCH CONTROLLING ARM ACROSS SAID PATH OF SAID TOWEL AND SPACED FROM SAID OTHER ARMS; SWITCH ACTUATING MEANS ACTUATED IN RESPONSE TO ALL OF SAID ARMS CONCURRENTLY OCCUPYING DEFLECTED POSITIONS; AND AN ELECTRIC CIRCUIT, SAID CIRCUIT INCLUDING SAID SWITCH MEANS TO THEREBY ENERGIZE AND CIRCUIT WHEN A TOWEL OF SUFFICIENT DIMENSIONS 